Tape message container



June 5, 1945. L M. Por'rs 2,377,573

TAPE MESSAGE CONTAINER riginal Filed July 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 5,194574k L. M. Pons l 2,377,573

TAPE MESSAGE CONTAINER Original Filed July 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l.. M. POT-rs 2,377,573

TAPE MESSAGE CONTAINER Original Filed July 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 5, 1945- L. M. POT-rs 2,377,573

TAPE MESSAGE CONTAINER Original Filed July 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 5,` 1945 as'zzsvs t TAPE MESSAGE. coN'rArNEn LouisM. Potts;;Evanston, Ill., assigner to Tele-` cago, Ill., a corporation oftype Corporation, Chi

Delaware Original application July '20," 1942, Serial No. 451,576. Divided and this application July19,

1943*, Serial No. 495,259 s 7 claims] (creia-f5?) H' The present invention relates tocontrol form ceiling apparatus and particularly toa device under the supervision of a receiving perforator' to wind message lengthstrip of control form into c oils around portable packaging containers.

This apparatus isA part of a system including distribution and retransmission devices for automatic coiling and routing of messages` among a plurality of receiving perforators for `routing to a varying plurality of retransmission destinations. .In its specific concept; the present invention comprises a slottedcoil winding mandrel through which a `control form prgressesafter code preparation and until an end-of-message signal is obtained, whereupon the 'nandrel operating within a packagingfcontainer poised thereatwinds the message"`bearing forminto an involute within the packagingshell or container and releases it to a conveyor, at the same time preparing` insaid conveyor for its discharge in accordance with the address which determines the destination of the message. f l

`In performing the describedphase in the systemi,` the "principal objectbf the present invention is the provision of an automatic control form coiling machine which Willi respond to thesignals impressed on the form 'and `accordinglycoilthe form into an involutewith theginitialportion of the message outermost in contemplation of re-` transmission." c

. "In attaining this object, the invention utilizes an automatically supervised `rotatable mandrel split `to afford passagewayr to the control form during its preparation and held dormant pending the receipt of a* concludingsignal which denotes the termination of a message.` Thereupon the mandrel is started into rotation seizing` the tail enfdofthe message innermost and winding the; message into acoil formed within al portage conf` tainer `as said mandrel extends through aspool consisting of two 'circular discs spaced apart by posts and provided with arcuate barriersfor con-A flnirigth'e message coil' after then-mandrel has e been released.`` As a concluding operation the i mandrel is withdrawn by movementl longitudin'auy of itse1f"1eaving the message coiled Within the Vspool sogas to expose a" limited length tangen-` tially of the Vperiphery that 'may beeautematically Seized by thexretransmitting apparatus as ex-` plained in copending application, SerialNo. 505",-

273; med oct. 7,;1943. n

This application is. a division of copending application, `,Serial No` 451,576.. filed July20, 1942. ,For a morecomprehensive understanding, reference will pow. be. had` to the1 accompanying drawings and to the` following, `detailed specification in both ofwhich like reference characters designate corresponding parts` throughout and wherein:` i. c i

1; taughtin U. S. Patent y 16,1941;

Fig. lis a plan View of a control form winding and loading apparatus associated with a tape perforatingmachine which is shown in fragmentary detail; 1

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevational `view of the conveyor belt apparatus including exemplary'floadi'ng and discharge station apparatus; Fig'. 5 is an enlarged detail `View of` a message 'i container magazine; e c

. Fig. 6` is a sectional view taken approximately i online E`6 oiFig; 5; c

IFigq'l is anienlargedsectional view taken approiimately on line `'lL-l of Fig. 8; V Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side i parts broken away lfeaturingthe `mechanism illustrated in Fig.`7;` i

Fig. 9 is'a timing diagram illustrating the relative effective periods of operation of'various parts of the control form coiling and container loading machine@ I Figi` 10` is adetailed charge of ycontrol form;

e Fig. `12`is"a transverse sectional view through one of the tape coil containers such as that featured in Fig.` 11 includingthe winding arbor applied thereinto as i during. the process of form Winding; 'e c Y f Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. `12

4.0.1 fatrig the bositionof the toned formwwitmn the spool after the winding shaft has been withdrawm. -i -1f c MFig. 14 isa side elevation of al spool or container suchas that featured in Fig. l1 illustrating the relative positions of` the aligning grooves which are located on the `outersurfaces` of the" spool discs; c e c e e e Fig. `1.5 is a diagrammatic `detail illustration of a modiedtape preperforating mechanism such as may be employed in conjunction with the present inventionforthe purposeof rapidly perforat` ing feed holes during tape feed-out control;

Fig.. 116 isa detail viewof a portion ofa control form perforated inaccordance with the practice Fig. 17 is a simpliedcircuit diagram of the principal electrical elements illustrated in conand " Fig. 2`is` a sideview partially in section of the c elevation with c illustration of` a portion of the apparatus obscured by the foreground por-` Fig; llis a detailed perspective view of one of the vr"message containers or, spools without its No. 2,255,794 granted Sept@ nection with the foregoingpreferred embodiment;

Fig. `18 is a perspective vieWrof the cutoff and acters II and I2, Fig. 4, which denote the pivotal axes of a pair of conveyor supporting Wheels I3 and I4 over and around which there travelsy an endless conveyor belt generally indicated I5.` Effectively, conveyor roller I3 may be an idler upon shaft I I but conveyor roller I 4 is preferably power driven on or by shaft I2 which carries a driving gear I6 for imparting rotation to a distributor brush arm II in timed relation to the progress made by the conveyor belt I5. A definite relationship is maintained between distributor brush I7 and the conveyor belt I5 in any suitable manner as by providing engagement notch and lug attributes between the belt and the roller I4 which in turn is geared to the shaft I2. These attributes will, of necessity, fit one into the other and thereby exclude the possibility of slippage.

The reference character I8 denotes Vone'of a plurality of spool carryingmagazines and comprises a denite number of composite chutes I9 each one of which is adapted to receive spools destined for a predetermined transmitting station as will later be explained. i

`In accordance with a simplified practice of the present invention the spools may be placed into the chute I9 manually by distribution clerks who, by reading the destination address on the outer ends of the messages as they are exposed in accordance with the construction of the spools, will determine into which one of `the chutesy I9 of any particular magazine -I8 the spools are to be placed. The release of the spools from their respective chutes I9 is controlled by an automatic supervisory circuit which forms the=subject matter of another'application. As each spool is discharged into a particular conveyor belt chamber, which includes the space between two consecutive partitioning walls 2 I, Fig. 8, it may be carried in the direction of the conveyorl belt as indicated' by the arrow 22, until the particular chamberbecomes aligned with one of the discharge hoppers 23 which, as a destination, isparticularly related to one of the chutes I9.

Referring now to Figs. 1l to 14, particular attention will be given to the details of construction of the message containing spools. Each spool is composed of two circular discs indicated 24 and 25, the former of which is preferably somewhat thicker than the latter although otherwise of the same configuration and yboth provided withv a concentric opening 26. At four equally spaced` points near the periphery of the side walls 24 y and 25 the two discs are joined together by-trans- Verse studs 21 which may be suitably anchored into the sides as by riveting.

Of the two discs which comprise each spool, the thicker one 24, foremost in Fig. 11, is provided on its outermost surface with a comparatively shallow groove 28, flared and widened at one end but comparatively narrow at the other end as may be easily observed from this illustration. The opposite side wall 25 is also provided on its outermost surface with a shallow groove, 29 which groove is 4generally similar in shape and proportion to the groove 28 of disc 24, but differs therefrom in one respect; namely, that it is angularly displaced therefrom as may be best seen from the side elevational view, Fig. 14.

The variation in thickness between the sides 24 and 25 and the provision of the shallow grooves 28 and 29 are means for assuring that the spools are inserted properly into the message coiling and loading as well as the transmitting machines, as will be more fully described later.

Integrally associated with each disc 24 and 25 I are two longer arcuate ribs 3I and 32 and one short rib 33. These elements project but a small distance above the inner surfaces of the discs and are for confining the roll of tape in the man- 'ner shown in Fig. 13 after it has been released from the winding spindle or mandrel shown in Fig. 12. Thus, while the expanded coil of Fig. 13, where thewinding mandrel or arbor is shown withdrawn, is almost completely embraced by the symmetrical and oposite shallow rib elements 3I, 32'and 33, the surface of the outermost convolution of the tape coil is almost entirely visible to an observer who is handling the container.w The containers, Fig. l1, assume a stationary cone dition in the winding machine, Fig. 1, during the process when a message tape is inserted and coiled. They function to shelter and conne'th'e messages during transit from the perforator apparatus to the transmitter. 1-

Observing now Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be-noted that each tape soiling unit comprises'an upright magazine tube 34 shaped of rectangular crosssection to closely denne the outline of each spool, as may be seen in Fig. v1. InorderltoI pass the spool in a certain relative position, this magazine 34 is provided with a ward or barrier block y35 ofr such width and so disposed with `respect'to the magazine tube 34 as to assure that the thicker disc 24 will invariablyl be insertedv lowermost, as viewed in Fig. 1, and the `thinner 25-correspond ingly uppermost therein. In addition to these, there is also provided a projecting rib 36 which, when inserted anywhere within the flarefof shallow groove 29, will direct said disc 25 byl-camming the latter rotationally in one directionfor the other when said projectionv 36 engages the side edges of said groove 29l untill the position. shown in Fig. 14 is attained. l

Near the lowermost 4extremity of magazine tube 34 there is intermittently presentable the winding mandre1 or arbor 3'! which consists essentially of` a split shaftwhose transverse slot -is aredwas. `at 33 so as to give ready admittance to the end of the perforated tape 39 as it emerges from .the printing and/or perforating unit 4I.

The perforating unit 4I shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be a device such as that disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,255,794 granted September 16, 1941, or Bulletin issued in March, 1941, by the Tele type Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, copyrighted May 3, 1941. In this type of apparatus whereinv the message is cut into the tape as shown inFig. 1,6, and in .additionis printed on the surface of the tape, a feed sprocket 42 which is 4rotated counterclockwise in a step-by-step manner, Fig. 2, by means of a pawl 200 engaging a ratchet 2III and operating in a manner well known to the art,

causes said tape 39 to be fed leftwardly trav ersing first the location of a tape severing blade` tion? illustrated in Fig. 2 so as to permitthetape 39 to continue along its course uninterruptedly.

unit 4|, thereis prepared an energizingcircuit for releasing `for'operationthe tape coil winding apparatus. This is obtained when a `start impulse is communicated to the `winding of magnet 49, Fig. 3, the energizing circuit of which is in Fig. 1'1 and which may be completed uponthe closureof a contact pair`202 under the control of-"one'of the perforator pull bar-especially assigned to thefunction of an end-.of-message designating signal." Whether this signal bean independent lower-case controlsignal or whether it be a special signal requiring `anupper-case shift as a prerequisite, the supervision may be ob` tained by a Contact mechanism such as that disclosed inFig. 8 of U. S. Patent No. 2,018,368 issued October 22, 1935.` l l As a result 'of the `energization of magnet 49, its armature 5| is i attracted rotating clockwise about its pivot52 andwithdrawing its stop end from blocking engagement with clutch shoulder 53, Fig. l, permitting the driven portion of clutch assembly` 54 to come into engagement with the pawl 200 so that thereafteriwhen the tape 39`-is pulled leftwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, no substan- W'hen a message iscompletely perforated by the 83 permitting pressure roller 4B which is pivotally tial resistance will be encountered. The effective period of cam 69 duringa complete cycle of operation is indicated bythe brief rise of curve 69, as illustrated in Fig. 9. At about the same time that cam 69 becomes effective, its adjacent rcam 8| whose curve in Fig. Slis also indicated 8|, withdraws its comparatively vlongapex from bef` neath the follower projection 821of'abell crank supported upon the other arm of said bell crank 83 to respond to the urgeiof its tensioning spring tion to itsdriven wheel 62` than the` speed at which driving worm 58drives itswheel'51.

Driven wheel 62 is itself a means .for communicating rotation `to the shaft BBwhich carries; the winding mandrel 31 as. may benotedin Fig. 3, sothat the rotation of thewheelV 92 `is counterclockwise as viewed `inrthis illustration in contradistinction from the direction of` rotation of shaft 56.5` Wheel 62 meshes with and accordinglyimparts rotation to a `driven wheel `$3-, see `also Fig. 1, whichis supported between a pair of 85 and move toward the driving roller 41 binding between them the tapel 39 which, during the.op' eration of the perforator unit 4I and' thereafter until the sending of the end-.of-message signal, had been moving leftwardly beyond thetable 48` and gathering above.` i 4 Secured to shaft 5 is a large driving gear 84 whose periphery on both sides of an intermediate mutilated section indicated 86 is"`studded with quantities of `teeth to be `engaged separately by the driven gear 81 integral with the drivingroller 41. As one of the groups of driving teeth88 of gear wheel 84 engagesvthe drivenpinion 81, it rotates feed roll 41 vwhich is now in engagement with the pressure roller 46, advancing the 'tape 39 leftwardlya distance corresponding to or slightly greater than that between the perforating punches of the telegraph perforator 4| and the cutoff knife 43.'` This, it will Vbe understood, leaves acertain amount of blank tape following the per.- forated area at the end of the messagejust as has been done at the beginning. i f

When the afore-described brief feeding `of the tape 39 has been completedyanother one of the projection 9| of lever 92.causingit` to berocked counterclockwise aboutrits pivot 93` whereupon its extremity 94engages one arm95-ofa punch' i and cutoff knife operating bail 9G; `The latter friction discs 64 forming part of a slip clutch assembly` generally indicated 65. The shaft whichf `crank `lever 12 pivoted with Ltwo other Ibell crank levers upon the supporting. journal fprojections generally indicated 13 and 14. The opposite arm of bell` crank 12 is pivoted at 15 toa push bar 16 which moves rightwardlyr imparting `corresponde ing similar motionto dislodge aidetentwarm 11 whose roller `18 normally serves to center a` star wheel 19 between teeth and through it to posi# tion the` tape` feed sprocket 42 accurately during i its step-by-step progress. i The push bar `16 has a pin 203 integral therewith which: engages the lowerrend of the pawl 200 upon any rightward movementof the lever resulting in the pawl Zw being` moved in a `counterclockwise direction against the tension of its biasing spring 2|l4` thereby releasing the pawl `from engai-:fernentwith` ITlfiispperation relieves `the sprocket shaft, 42` frornany restraint by the detent lever 11gand thei member `is pivotallyisupported on shaft910 and in thus moving itibrings the uppermost edge'A of shearing blade 43 into engagement with a cooperating edge of a1 plate 91 `at the same time that its arm 95fengage`s the lowermost extremity of 'punch 44 forcing the l`atter`member through a die opening in plate 91 and accordingly Inaking y aspecialindexzperforation inrthe tape to denote the end of a message. a

Aswith the case of `theiirst-described` cams, Fig. 9 shows theperiodicity and duration curves B4`and 89 denoting the effective periods of gear wheel y81| andthat of the cutoff knife operating cam 89 indicated `by identical reference characters. Cutoffblade 43 may be `shaped as an end plate with the cutoff edge constituting one of the edges of an internal3slot: in-theblade or plate so that` following each cutoff operation, the `portion of tape 39 extending from the perforator unit 4| willv be guided into the slot byreason of the apertured cutoff bladedesign. l Shortly following their operation, knife 43and punch pin 44 are returned to the normal position,.whereupon the groupof teeth 98 of mutilated gear `wheel 84 come into engagement with those of driven pinion 81 causthe tape stops substantially within the slot 45 of winding arbor 31.

This conoitionebtams `shortly after the 12o? in a suitable receptacleas stated position of curve 84,1Fig. 9. After the lapse of a brief interval, the apex 99 ofa, cam I0| encounters thev projection |02 of a clutch stop lever |03 pivoted at |04, rocking the latter member in a counterclockwise direction v`about its pivot so as to withdraw its holding tooth |05 from engagement with the periphery of a, serrated disc |06 which is integrally associated with the driven portion of frictionclutch 65. e

Since tooth|05 isthe sole elementl for holding driven member of clutch 65 from rotating under the impetus of its driving gear 63, the effect of cam I| willv accordingly, be to release shaft 66 for rotation. The direction of rotation as has been said is clockwise, Fig. 3, causing the winding of the tape as indicated in this illustration bee ginning with the'end-of-message end of the tape innermost. About the same time that the mandrel or arbor 31 through its integral association with shaft 66 enters upon clockwise rotation, the

tensioning roller 46 is again retracted from engagement with pulling roller 41 when a brief apex of cam 8| reengages the follower extremity 82 of bail 83. As this occurs, the projection 53 of driven portion of clutch 54, encounters the extremity of an armature |01 pivoted at |08. This brings shaft ,56 to restas the winding arbor 31 continues rotating in a'clockwise direction and winding the cutoff portion of the tape 39 about itself after the manner illustratedin Fig. 12.

l Shortly before the cam shaft 56 is brought to rest by reason of the engagement of driven portion of clutch 54 with the armature |01, another one of itscams |09 which is shaped with a continuous apex and'but a brief depression in its periphery, assumes a position whereat it presents said depression to the extremity of a follower arm IIIv which forms part of a bell crank I|2 also pivoted upon the supporting journals 13 and 14. As a result, `b'ell crankl I2 is permitted to rotate clockwise under the influence of a mild tension spring (not shown) so that its other arm I I3 will bearv upon the upper surface of tape 39 in search of the foremost end of the tape when it arrives as the mandrelcompletes the winding of the entire length of tape about itself.

As best seen in Fig. l the extremity ||3 of the bell crank IIZ overlies a notched portion ||4 in the supporting table 48 of such width as not to yieldto the tension of said arm I 3 unless the intermediately vtraveling tape 39 becomes exhausted as when it is fully wound about the mandrel 31. s

Under the circumstance of tape winding completion, when arm I I3 drops into the slot I I4 and bell crank |I2 is permitted to rock clockwise about its pivot 14, tension is relieved from the contact spring I|5 whereat insulator II6 rests upon arm II3. As a result said contactor comes linto engagement with contact point I|1 and a local circuit is completed for energizing magnet H8. This attracts armature |01 withdrawing its blocking extremity from the lug 53 of separable clutch 54 and shaft 56 is thereby permitted to resume rotation. The action of the sensing finger I I3 is represented by its similarly indicated curve |I3 in Fig. 9 at which time the clutch throwout I I8 also becomes effective, and as may be observed from curve 8| the brief apex99 of cam |0| passes beyond the sensing projection |62 and the friction clutch stop lever |03 immediately arrests shaft 66 against further rotation.

After a brief interval, sensing arm H3, which is under the joint control of the tape 39 as well as of the supervisory cam |09 on shaft 56, is restored aerei-va to its original position as indicated in Fig. 3'by reason of the depression inocam` |09 passingbe-- yond the extremity of its feelerfprojection III.

5 opened and the energizing circuit for magnet I|6 broken.

on shaft 56 is carried a cam |19 within whose peripheral cam groove there resides a follower roller carried intermediate the mandrel retraction lever |2I, thelatter element beingpivotally anchoredat |22 and having a pin at its remote end |23 which is confined in an annular groove |24 of the'winding mandrel 31. Cam I I 9 whose function is, accordingly, the retraction Vof winding mandrel 31 occupies an effective cycle of operation as indicated yby its, curve I|9 in Fig. 9. During the elevated portion of this curve, mandrel 31 is `retracted and does not extend into the spool then in form receiving position, and by reason of itsl being suitably splined on shaft 66, mandrel 31 is capable of free longitudinal movement thereon without radial displacement of said shaft.

It is to be understood that as the winding man-` drel 31 is extracted from the container, it is also withdrawn from engagement with the innermost end ,of the tape coil 39A and that when this occurs the winding tension is relieved from the coil of tape which thereupon seeks to assu'mea maximum diameter condition such as illustrated in Fig. 13. Also, it is to be noted that since the control of winding is through the end of tape sensing arm lI I3 which is disposed in a definite relationship with respect to the spool or container, the amount of tape extending outside of the confines established by. the arcuate guards 3|, 32, and `33 such as represented in Fig. 13 by the reference numeral |25, will, in all cases, b'e the same or'nearly the same amount. Thus is had a manner of yassuring that the address Vor any other information contained upon the foremost end |25 of the tape will be exposed to easy observation and will assume a denitefrelationship with Arespect to the fixed characteristics of the spool, namely,` the groove 28, so that yfor purposes of reinsertion into a transmittingmachine, as will be disclosed in a copending application, the position established by reason of the shape of the spool will, at the same time, assure a clenite relationship between the extending end |25 of the tape and the retransmission ap-k paratus. l

As a result of the further rotation of cam shaft 56, a secondary and longer apexof cam |0| carried on said shaft engages follower 'pro` jection |02 for the second time, rocking lever |03 counterclockwise and withdrawing stop tooth` |05 from engagement with the teeth of serrated disc |06. While this is going on, another cam |26 whose continuous apex had been supporting lever |21 in a counterclockwise position by engaging its follower projection |28,`now achieves a condition whereat its apex overruns the point of engagement with follower projection |28, leaving lever |21 without support and permitting a tatev it clockwise about pivot |04 until its'extremity |29 is brought into the path of stop tooth A| 3|, whereupon shaft 66 is again brought to rest but this time at a definite angular position determinedv by said engagement between extremity |29 and stop tooth |3I.l `The leffective instants of cam |26 are indicated on curve chart, Fig.. 9, by the variations of curve |26. As a result'of this stopping` of shaft 66 in the manner spring (not shown) of the latter member to ro-V just described, the slot 45 in its assurland'Winding arbon 31 isrhpositionedhorizontally as indi- Acated vin Fig.` 2, andthe apparatusis `again `in `-condition to receive a leading end of the-perforated tape 39 as itemerges from theprinting and/ or perf orating machine e 4 I.

Meanwhile shaft 56 continuesfto rotateuntil -ritscam` ||l| again rwithdraws its apex from the follower ||l2lpermitting saidfollowerlever |03 to resume its position as explained above with d `stopfhook |05 engaging one o f thev teeth `in the d disc |66.` Shortly following-this` oclnirrence.` cam 4|26 again presents its, apexto the `follower' |26 withdrawing the extremityyf|29 from blocking 4,the stop shoulder |3|;1how ever, shaft `66 does not move because it is held arrestedlby the stop ing` onbeyond the projection |46 and .permitting `theslide barl UtlV ingresponserto `al` spring (not show'nrto resumerwits normal position which is that illustrated in Fig. 2,.V

1 Thereafter, cam |45 encountersfwithits apex another lever indicated |,49whichis pivotedat viewed in Fig` 2*causes anextsucceeding Awind- Withthe apparatus arrested ithisreondmon,

the control remains under shaft `56 `and the apparatus is., in readiness for a succeedingmessage ceiling and `spool loading, operation. As, shaft 56 proceeds duringits nal portion of rotation in completing a "cycle-another one r, of its cams indicated |32 ,encounters with its comparatively brief apex the follower p1v^ojectionlrl|33ofal rst class lever pivoted at |36,` `Itsopposite `extremity `|35, engages one arm.`|36, of Va bellcrank assembly pivoted onda shaft |3'|. l, In consequence, the `assembly is` rotated clockwise about its pivot |37 carrying vits major arm :|138 rightwardandas Yalresult moving a pin |39 integralwith the extremityof said arm |38 rightwardly within ran arcuate `cutaway portion of the magazine hous-` ing 31|,` Fig.` 2.` Pin |39 isin direct alignment with thespoolcenteringlwebj36, Fig.` 1, and ac4 cordingly, it, assumes a position` Within the nari row neck of the alignment guiding groove 29 of each spool.` When the spoolis disposed in the position indicated in,Fig.;2, its `principal supd port is afforded by a stop pin|4| `carried in the r 13` and thus bind against, thek confinement segf ments` 3| 32, and 33,` the: afore-described,clock-l wiseI rotation of the` spooll pulls` the trailing end |Irom between the pressure rollers 46 and 4l` |5| and as in the case of lever |42` has a follower projection|52 `and at its remote; end a blocking pin |53. The shifting of pin |53 leftwardly, as

ing` spool thereat held by reason of said pin |53,

-toberdroppedto a position such asthatlillustrated in, dotted outline which, had previously been `occupeclby `the spool recently` advanced to `the ,winding lposition. A y A final preparation is made after :which the apparatus is in readiness `to receivethe succeedingmessage for coiling and loading. This preparation consists in the performanceby cam H3 actingupon mandrel retractionilever`|2|min the reverse manner to that describedvabove. Accordingly` mandrel 3] is restored to its position whereat it extends `within the newly positioned jspool after `the manner indicatedbytitsv curve |19; Fig. 94

Timing shaft 56,-is again-.brought to the projection'l53 of its clutch 5`4 cornes into engagement` with the-blocking end of armature 5|.

Thereupon, the mechanism is in; readiness to Aref ceive a new start (endfof-message) signal from .the tapepreparingqunit 4|.` `It will be recalled that after a messageries' been perforated and a message endsignal transmittedttothe magnet A49 as afore-described, that the` tape feeding sprocket 42 of the unit Mis relieved bythewithdrawal of its detent arm`11and pawl 206 and that thereafterpthe tape` 39-is fed rapidly in a e leftward direction'before being arrested within which were previously drawn apart bythe `action f of caml, permitting said end |25 to trail loosely beyond the short supporting lug33naftervthe manner shown in Fig.4 13.` l

At about the: timewthat projection* is assuming a position'such as that indicatedin dotted outline inyFlg. 12` and Abeforeit has become kdisassociated from the surface groove:l `:of ,1 the spool, a` cam |43', Fig. 1, engagesthe follower extremity` of lever |42 rocking the latter `member* about its pivot Hein a clockwise direction and withdrawing the stop pintllt fromsupport of the. netl'ierrnost` spool. 'This `spool is now free tofall fromthefmagazine 34. as an apex of cam |45, Fig". 1, engages the tip |46: of a :slidable memberA |41, shifting thelatterrightwardly as viewed in l Fig; 2, andk dislodgng n 'ai/stop pin |48'` integrally associated therewithyfrom the path` of a next succeeding spool which` thereupondrops'` into theiposition occupied; bythe recently ex-` cutting range of the mandrel 131r In order to make this manner. of operation practi-cahit is necessary either.v to havethe tape preperforated,

that is\prov.ided. with the central row of, feed holes.,A see,` lrbefore entering thecode preparing machine 4 t, orb` to d provide an auxiliary devicewfork rapidly making said feed holes inthe proximity o fvsaid unit 4|. l

The apparatus now to` bev `'described is `an auxiliary mechanism especially adapted to pro'- vide a `perforated tape, such ,as that `shown in Fig. 16, `with its central row of -feed perforations under` conditions `which will `permit ofthe rapid feeding ofthe tape in response to an end-of,-` message signal. This apparatus is illustratedde- `tailedly in `Fig. 15 where the reference character denotes a punch block `unit wherein the punch element |56 "is graphically portrayed, and` is operated by a striking lever |51which serves also d through its `articulationat |558 as` an actuator" for feedpawl |59.1 Motion isimparted tothestrlk@ ing` lever |5'|.which ispivoted at |6| bymeans of a three-armed lever |62. A`fol1ower projection |63'` which terminatesone arm of lever`|62 and is spring urged in a clockwise direction about the `pivot |64 rides theperiphery of a continuously rotating` cam |65. l

The` snafu y lsafwhrcnrrcames the multiple lobed cam |65 mayjbea tributary of the principal drivngytrain described aboveor itmay beI an independent sourcehof rotary power driven j preferably in some'phase `relationship with the coil winding shaft 66,"but `desirably somewhat faster.` `Wherrone` of thellobes of lcam` |65 en-` counters the follower projection." |63,` itrocks the l three-armed lever l |62 1 in ad; counterclockwise v direction against the influence ofits restoration polled winding spooLthe apex of cam|45 pass` rest `when l plained. f

spring |61, causing oneof thefarms |68 to strike against lever |51 rotatingthe latter member in a clockwise direction about its pivot |6I and pushing pawl |59 upward at the same time that punch U55 is operated. Another arm-|69 -of lsaid lever |62 describes an arc which may beA blocked againstv return bythe-end |1| of 'a 'tape slack feeler lever |12 pivoted at |13. v

When enough of the tape 39'has "gathered `in the loop |16 to permit the loop sensing arm |12 to `assume a position, asindicated in Fig. 15, that is, an eXtreme counterclockwise position about 'its pivot |13, it vvill'thenv interpose its blocking end I1| in the path of arm I 69 of 'lever |62 and prevent said lever from responding to the -urge of `itsreturn spring |61. -On the other hand, whengthe amount oftape -in said loop |16 becomes diminished, then-.the roller at theA end of ar-m |12 will be engaged 'by said tape, the lever |12 rotating clockwise about its`pivot |13, and the blocking projection I1I'will be withdrawn from the extremity of lever arm |89, permitting -lever `|62 the full freedom of its-movement in va clockwise directionabout its pi-vot |64.- In accordance with the particular"contemplation of structure, as illustratedA in Fig. "l5, tape`39 is advanced leftwardly to conformwith the showing `of apparatus in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.- The perforations for feeding'the tape lwhen thus installed by a punch block |55 may conform with the feed hole apertures as illustratedin Fig. 16, .where the partially severed tabs remain attached tothe body of the tape or they may, inaccordance with a well-known practice, be completely severed.

The complete apparatus lends itself` to the preparation of messages and the coiling of the tape containing messages within'containers, I as indicated in the foregoing-description. After the coiling and packagingof the message bearing strips of tape or control form-has been completed, the address ordestinatioriis determined and the containers placed in the -proper chute at oneof the stations |8,Fig. 4. 'I'he4 apparatus illustrated in Figs. 4 to 8 -functions' to auto- 4 matically sort and route each container orspool to av transmitter apparatus represented by one of-the several discharge chutes 23.

" The operation of the message packaging spool will now be detailedly described.- Thedistribu- A tion system illustrated in the drawings .contemplates specifically ten destination or transmitting stations each-having'a chute 23 into which spool containersv are discharged to the transmitting mechanism.A Accordingly, each one ofthe receiving stations I8 is provided with ten receptacle' chutes I9, one corresponding to each of the destination or discharge chutes 23. While the chutes I9 are designated ina certain order, this need not correspond to the order in 4which the chutes 23 are arranged asfwillnow be ex- Firstly, it will berecalled that a distribution apparatus comprisingabrush carrier I1 anda segmented distributor |16 are provided which rotate in synchronism with the travel of the distribution belt I5. Moreover, since there'are contemplated'ten destination stations represented by the chutes 23 there arealsoprovided a number of compartments in the belt I5 which is a multiple of ten in order that the sequence of compartments-may have a correspondenceto thatof the chutes i I 9. Also, thesegmented ringy of vdistributor |16 is divided into ten live or conducting 'segments in similar correspondence tothe lten destinations of distribution.

The lower ends ofthe several chutes' I9 are curved as best indicated inl Figs. 4 and 5, in the direction in which thetap'e or belt I5 travels for the purpose of kimparting to the spools or con. tainers a motion inthe direction of the belt I5. I

Let it be assumed that when the belt I5 is in the position lindicated distributor brush I1 is wiping over the live contact segment correspondingv to destination No. 1. An impulse for releasing any first spool or container from chute I9 corresponding to destination'l will then be had, caus'- ing the spool to bel precipitated to arrivey on a horizontal level with the belt atthe same time that compartment No. lJ of said belt arrives, in its horizontal travel, beneath the 'particular chute I9. The discharge hoppers 23 will, in all proba`` bility, have a dierent arrangement from the sequence in which the chutes I9 are arranged in each one of the stations I8. Accordingly, as each conveyor compartment passes over its particular discharge ychute 23, mechanism is provided for opening certain release devices for permitting the contained cargo which may include one or more ofl these spools Vor containers to empty into the proper one of the discharge chutes 23.

'I'he apparatus for releasing the containers into the compartments from their respective chutes I 9 and that for releasing the containers from the compartments into the discharge chute 23 is under the supervision of release magnets |11 and I'I-S. Of these, the magnets |11 each are associated with an individual armature |89 pivoted at |19, and urged by a spring I8I in a clockwise directon so as to cause to be projected the lowermost pair of stop pins |82 into the channel of the particular chute I9 and thereby to arrest the descent of the lowermost one of a series of spools. Upon the energization o f any one of the magnets |11, the position of its associated armature is reversed, namely, with the lowermost projecting pins |82 retracted and with a similar pair of projections located at the upper extremity of the armature and designated |83, momentarilyintroduced into the path of a second oncoming spool tov halt the descent of succeeding spools as the bottom one is released for discharge into one of the compartments of the conveyor belt I5.

The period of energization of magnet I 11 is but momentary and following this armature |80 is released to resume its normal position asindicated in Eig. 6. Each chute I9 is provided with one such arrangement including a magnet|11 and an armature |80 and on account of the progressively advanced positions Aofthe successive chutes I9, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the location of said release mechanism-|11 and |80 is correspondingly higher as the chutes succeed each other rightwardly. I

The conveyor belt I5 consists of aniendless fiat section designated |84 having securedthereto a plurality of perpendicular partitioning elements 2|. At various points aroundthe periphery. of the conveyor, openingsv are provided in a channel having a U-shaped cross section whichcompletely surrounds the path' of the belt lforming. a complementaryenclosure in cooperation with the belt |84. These openings are located, for example, in association with the container `deposit stations I8 as well as in the proximity of each one of the discharge hoppers l23. In Fig. .8,"onc` such opening is designated |85 and directly beneath is the ared intake section |86 of a hopper 23 whose opposite end discharges onto the proximity'fofa distributor apparatus. f I

belt |84 is mounted an armature |81 pivotedat |88. The pivot shaft |88 is suitably supported by from beneath a particular one or ones of the containers, then in passing over the opening |85 such containers are permitted to fall into the ared section |86 of the corresponding hopper 23 following which they are delivered tothe destination transmitting apparatus.

It is to be noted that each one of the armatures |81 has integrally formed therewith a camming pin |93 which is withdrawn from the compartment chamber-.during the de-energized condition of its respective armature but which upon the energization .of its armature is moved inwardly so as to engage the side discs of the spools or containers positively andcam them downwardly `through the opening |85 and into the throat |86 below. i

In the foregoing description there has been explained and described a tape coiling and message storing apparatus for cooperating with a plurality of tape perforating machines which may be associated with a central oilice distribution system. This mechanism places each message originating from a particular one of a plurality of receiving tape perforator machines into an' individual container. Following this, the containers are deone of4 said containers after the completion of said Winding andI for thereafter releasing into lowermost position a next succeeding one of said plurality of containers.`

3. In a machine for ceiling and packaging webs of material,` a plurality ci containersaffording posited in appropriate chutes of a distribution de-` vice located predeterminedly with respect to a routing and distribution belt-or conveyor from `which they may be automatically released to des i tination chutes.

While the present invention has been explained l and described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be understood, nevertheless, that numerous changes and modifications may be y incorporated without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, it is not intended to be restricted in` any manner by the specific language in the foregoing description nor by the deftails in the accompanying drawings except sa indicated in the hereunto annexed claims. The invention claimed is:

l. A control for'm packaging apparatus com prising a winding mandrel for coiling said `form i' into an involute, a plurality of containers, a container magazine for supporting said plurality of containers,` mechanism for advancing said containers consecutively to form coiling position, a member for determiningthe presence or absence 3 of the control form during winding, and means responsive to theloperation of said member upon the absence of the control form for arresting said winding mandrel after a length of control form has beencompletely coiled and for ej ecting a container and its vcoiled contents after the packaging operation has been completed.

2. In a tape winding machine, a magazine for innermost thereof accessibility `for a winding arbor and cylindrical `space to receive a coil of web material, a magazine for supporting a plurality of said containers in vertical alignment,

means including said arbor to wind a coil of web `material within said containersselectively'when f it attains a nethermost position, and means for discharging said container and its coil `of material content after the completion of said packaging and winding.

d; Inma ceiling and packaging machine, a plurality of containers affording innermost thereof accessibility for a bifurcated winding arbor and space to accommodate a maximum coil of web material, a magazine for supporting a plurality of said containers in vertical alignment, means including said arbor to condition a coil of web material within anethermost one of said containers, the winding operation occurring within said container, and means "for discharging said container and its coil of web material contents after the completion of said packaging and winding. l

5. A control form packaging apparatus comprising a winding fork comprising a rotarymember for coiling said form into an involute, a mag-v azine for supporting a series of form containers and advancing them to coiling position, apparatus for retracting and extending said fork longitudinally with respect to a container in coiling position, a member for determining the presence 'or absence of` the control form during winding,

and means responsive to the operation of said member upon the absence of the control formfor arresting said winding mandrel after a lengthof i control form has been completely coiled and for ejecting a container and its coiled contents after the packaging operation has been completed.

- 6. In a packaging machine, a magazine for holding in vertical alignments, plurality of containers, apparatus for advancing a tape through holding in vertical alignment a plurality of containers each having peripheral voids at various points in diametric alignment, apparatus for advancing a tape through said voids of `a lowermost one of said plurality of containers, a mandrel for 1 Winding said tape internally of said container,zand

`and said mandrel has been the proximity occupied by a lowermost one of `said plurality of containers, a mandrel for wind-` ing said tape internally of said lowermost one of said containers, and means for automatically discharging a lowermost one of said containers after the completion of said winding.

7. A control form packaging apparatus comprising a winding mandrel for coilingisa'id form into an involute, a plurality or containers, a container mechanism for supporting` said plurality of containers, mechanism for advancing said containers consecutively to form coiling position, op-

erating means for inserting said mandrel within said` container in form coiling position, means for thereafter rotating said mandrel and winding said coil within said container, means for arresting said Winding mandrel after a length of control form has been completely` coiled, said operating means eilective subsequently `for withdrawing said mandrel from within said coil and container after said coil has been wound, and means for ejecting a container and its coiled contents after the coiling operation has been completed withdrawn.` l

LOUIS M. PO'I'IS. V

`means for automatically discharging a lowermost 

